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Ideal and deviant interlocutors in a formal interpretation system

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Abstract

Conversational partners’ “ideal” information states – their knowledge (about the world and each other), their beliefs (with different degrees of certainty), their desires and intentions (of different degrees of intensity) – can be specified at any point in the conversation. The various elements making up an information state are sometimes standard-like, but often they serve as basis for various possible deviations from the standard. Some verbs which express particular deviations are discussed, including the extreme case of lying while saying the truth. Our analyses are presented in a formal interpretation system, which allows us to demonstrate how different meanings emerge while only changing polarity parameters from case to case. We thus intend to build a bridge between pragmatics and hardcore formal semantics.

Abstract

Conversational partners’ “ideal” information states – their knowledge (about the world and each other), their beliefs (with different degrees of certainty), their desires and intentions (of different degrees of intensity) – can be specified at any point in the conversation. The various elements making up an information state are sometimes standard-like, but often they serve as basis for various possible deviations from the standard. Some verbs which express particular deviations are discussed, including the extreme case of lying while saying the truth. Our analyses are presented in a formal interpretation system, which allows us to demonstrate how different meanings emerge while only changing polarity parameters from case to case. We thus intend to build a bridge between pragmatics and hardcore formal semantics.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface 1
  4. Theoretical and general models
  5. Subjectivity in modality, and beyond 13
  6. Certainty and uncertainty in assertive speech acts 31
  7. Ideal and deviant interlocutors in a formal interpretation system 59
  8. On being certain whether 79
  9. Uncertainty as integrated part of meaning and understanding 99
  10. Epistemic stance 115
  11. Medical and supportive interactions
  12. Requesting help with null or limited knowledge 139
  13. The journey to advice 157
  14. Diagnostic news delivery 183
  15. Epistemic struggles in addiction Therapeutic Community meetings 201
  16. Embodying epistemicity 223
  17. Scientific writing and academic communication
  18. The fabric of certainty 249
  19. Hedging and attitude markers in Spanish and English scientific medical writing 273
  20. A theoretical contribution to tackling certainty and uncertainty in scientific writing 291
  21. BioUncertainty 309
  22. Uncertainty markers in a corpus of German biomedical papers from Spektrum der Wissenschaft (1993-2012) 341
  23. Questioning certainty in research articles and popular science articles 369
  24. Self-repairs and certainty in Romanian academic meetings 389
  25. About the authors 403
  26. Index 411
Communicating Certainty and Uncertainty in Medical, Supportive and Scientific Contexts
This chapter is in the book Communicating Certainty and Uncertainty in Medical, Supportive and Scientific Contexts
https://doi.org/10.1075/ds.25.03alb

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface 1
  4. Theoretical and general models
  5. Subjectivity in modality, and beyond 13
  6. Certainty and uncertainty in assertive speech acts 31
  7. Ideal and deviant interlocutors in a formal interpretation system 59
  8. On being certain whether 79
  9. Uncertainty as integrated part of meaning and understanding 99
  10. Epistemic stance 115
  11. Medical and supportive interactions
  12. Requesting help with null or limited knowledge 139
  13. The journey to advice 157
  14. Diagnostic news delivery 183
  15. Epistemic struggles in addiction Therapeutic Community meetings 201
  16. Embodying epistemicity 223
  17. Scientific writing and academic communication
  18. The fabric of certainty 249
  19. Hedging and attitude markers in Spanish and English scientific medical writing 273
  20. A theoretical contribution to tackling certainty and uncertainty in scientific writing 291
  21. BioUncertainty 309
  22. Uncertainty markers in a corpus of German biomedical papers from Spektrum der Wissenschaft (1993-2012) 341
  23. Questioning certainty in research articles and popular science articles 369
  24. Self-repairs and certainty in Romanian academic meetings 389
  25. About the authors 403
  26. Index 411
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